My quest …

for the ultimate burger – a meat free version that is – has taken a positive turn of late.

I came across “Fun in a bun” (Spicy corn and chickpea burgers with smoky sweet potato wedges) by Jamie Oliver in the Sunday Times Magazine.

Here's my variation – the first prototype!

Burgers

1 x 400g can chickpeas – shucked

1 x 340g sweetcorn drained and placed on

a tray lined with kitchen roll – pat dry

½ tsp each of ground coriander, cumin, sumac

and salt

3 tbsp plain flour

extra flour to dust

cling film

Place the chickpeas and sweetcorn in a food processor and pulse – keep some texture in the mixture :

Tip the mixture into a mixing bowl and then add the spices and salt. Divide your mixture into a size that suits – as a rough guide I made 5 :

Spoon your divided mixture straight onto the cling film and gather firmly into a ball. You can weigh your mixture if you want to be precise. Tip the ball onto your floured board and form gently into a burger shape. Your mixture is quite fragile and requires gentle handling. When formed place the burgers on a tray and “fridge” for 30 minutes.

Heat a glug of rapeseed oil in a frying pan to a medium heat. Add the burgers and cook gently for 5 minutes each side until golden brown.

Here they are :

What the recipe doesn't say

The mixture is very sticky and if you don't use the cling film method I've included above then you'll finish up with more of it on your hands than anywhere else – by using the cling film you're not handling the mixture until it is formed into a ball - ready to roll into flour to form your burger shape.

Use the best quality of sweetcorn you can afford – it's worth it.

I would not recommend adding your spices and seasoning directly into your food processor - you'll run the risk of tainting the bowl, hence transferring to a mixing bowl.

I'm difficult to please having sampled lots of rubbish vegetarian food over the years, but this first version is good to go – here's what I served – to myself!

The burger in a toasted brioche bun with a side of Coronation Coleslaw. The recipe for the slaw and the second prototype of the burger are coming soon!